Greenjackets notebook

By Staff Writer

GreenJackets manager Mike Boulanger said the chances are remote that the Boston Red Sox will send promoted players back to Augusta for the playoffs.

With high-Class A Sarasota out of the Florida State League playoff picture, there was talk that pitchers Seung Song, Rodney Dickinson and Tony Fontana and outfielder/third baseman Justin Sherrod could return. All four were promoted to Sarasota earlier this season.

Boulanger said that would not make sense from a developmental standpoint.

"I don't think the organization would do something like that, because there's no point really in sending a guy back down here," Boulanger said. "There is a possibility we'll get some help from (short-season Class A) Lowell or from the Gulf Coast League (Rookie-level). If the Red Sox think there's somebody down there who can help us for the playoffs, they might send him here."

INJURY LOG: Center fielder Rick Asadoorian, limited to designated hitter the past eight days because of a sore right shoulder, is scheduled to return to the field on Tuesday.

Third baseman Tony Blanco's bursitis in his right shoulder is acting up again, and the 19-year-old prospect also has been restricted to DH duties. Blanco was scheduled to be examined by team doctors on Monday.

Starter Mat Thompson, who missed his last start because of a sore back, is healthy again and is scheduled to start today against Capital City.

First baseman Dustin Brisson, who went on the disabled list Tuesday with a sprained right wrist, is still about a week away from returning. Through Thursday, Brisson was 10th in the South Atlantic League in batting with a .297 average.

RUNDLES DEBUT: Former Jacket Rich Rundles was impressive in his debut as a Montreal Expos farmhand.

Rundles made his first start for the Clinton (Iowa) Lumber Kings of the Class A Midwest League on Tuesday, allowing one earned run on seven hits in 7 2/3 innings while striking out four and walking only one. He did not factor in the decision.

The 20-year-old left-hander, an all-star with the Jackets this season, was traded by the Boston Red Sox on July 31 along with Triple-A pitcher Tomo Ohka for reliever Ugueth Urbina.

BACK TO THE PEN: With the return of Thompson to the starting rotation, left-hander Brian Adams will return to his middle-relief role, while right-hander Felix Villegas will remain in the rotation, likely for the rest of the season.

Both have spent most of the season in the bullpen but were added to the rotation after the injury to Thompson and the Rundles trade.

Adams, who is 8-8 with a 3.34 ERA in 29 games, went 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in two starts. Villegas, who is 1-4 with six saves and an identical 3.44 ERA in 29 games, is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in two starts.

ALUMNI REPORT: At high Class A Sarasota, Song allowed two runs or fewer in six consecutive starts through Wednesday, going 4-1 with a 1.69 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings during that stretch. ... Fontana went 0-3 with a 3.97 ERA in four starts through August 1. ... Sherrod had a 10-game hitting streak through Thursday, going 13-for-42 during the surge to raise his average from .133 to .263 ... Shortstop Freddy Sanchez, who batted .303 in 30 games for the Jackets last season, recently was promoted to Double-A Trenton, and is emerging as one of the top prospects in the organization. Sanchez was batting .339 at Sarasota before his promotion and became the first Eastern League player in more than a year to hit four doubles in a game in a 13-0 Trenton win on Wednesday. His .353 average this season between Sarasota and Trenton ranked third in the minors through Thursday.

DEWEY AT THE LAKE: Red Sox great Dwight Evans, who was hired by the team as a special consultant in June, has been in town the past three nights working with the GreenJackets.

The 49-year-old Evans played 20 seasons in the major leagues - all with the Red Sox - from 1972-91. He is fourth on the club's all-time home run list with 379 behind Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Rice.

For Evans, this is his first trip to Augusta. He met the team in Charleston, S.C., last month.

Red Sox farm director Kent Qualls also is in town this weekend to evaluate players and field staff.